Dyeing and finishing of textile materials



Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED sTATEs DYEIN G AND FINISHING or TEXTILE MATERIALS Louis Amde Lantz and William Stuart Miller, Manchester, England, assignors to The Calico Printers England Association Limited, Manchester,

No Drawing. Application March 15, 1937, Se-

rial'No. 131,046. In Greatv Britain March 21,

11 Claim.

This invention relates to a treatment of cellulosic materials and has for its object to provide an improved process for imparting to such materials an increased resistance to creasing or crumpling and/or an increased resistance to shrinking on washing and .to extension when damp, and/or an increased fastness to washing of dyeings with, relatively fugitive dyestuffs.

It is known to render textile yarns or fabrics of vegetable origin less creasable by impregnating them with synthetic resin components, drying, and thereafter heating them to form the insoluble resin substantially in and not on the fibre.

It is also known to render fugitive dyestuffs fast to washing when applied to said fibres by similarly forming a synthetic resin on the fibres under certain specified conditions.

Our invention provides a process for rendering l0 cellulosic materials less liable to creasing, .to shrinkage on washing and to extension when damp, and also for the fixation fast to washing of dyestufis which normally have little or no afiinity for cellulosic materials, without the :5 formation of a synthetic resin in or on the fibres and without the necessity for completing the reaction'by a separate heating operation.

Under cellulosic materials we comprise natural vegetable fibres, such as cotton and linen, and 80 regenerated cellulose, such as viscose and cupranunonium rayon, in the form of loose fibre, yarns, or fabrics, or any other form in which it can be subjected to .wet treatment. Hereinafter for convenience of reference the said ma- 85 terials will be referred to collectively as cellulosic materials. 1

Our invention consists in impregnating cellulosic materials with formaldehyde and an isocyclic sulphonic acid, drying, washing and drying. The impregnated material may be allowed to lie for a certain time at substantially ordinary temperature before washing off.

Our invention further consists in impregnating dyed cellulosic materials with formaldehyde and an isocyclic sulphonic acid, drying, if necessary allowing to lie at approximately ordinary temperature for some time, and finally washing and drying.

Our invention further consists in impregnating the cellulosic material with formaldehyde and an isocyclic' sulphonic acid together with a dyestuif, drying, if necessary allowing to lie at approximately ordinary temperature for some time, and finally washing and drying.

Our invention further consists in applying the phonic acid.

dyestufl locally by spraying, printing or stencilling .prior to or together with the formaldehyde and isocyclic sulphonic acid,-

Our invention further consists in treating the material, wholly or in part, with formaldehyde, I isocyclic sulphonic acid and, if desired dyestufl, in two or three separate operations, which may vary in sequence, provided no reaction takes place between these components and the fibre until after the last of these operations. 10

Our invention further comprises the production of pattern effects by the local application prior to impregnation with formaldehyde, isocyclic sulphonic acid and dyestufl', of a substance or substances which inhibit the fixation ll of the dyestuif by neutralising the acid contained in the impregnating liquor, Acids which have been found to give the de sired results include benzene and naphthalene sulphonic acids such as benzene monosulphonicacid, naphthalene 1- and 2-sulphonic acids and naphthalene 1-5 disulphonic acid; amino sulphonic acids, such as amino-benzene 2-, 3- and i-sulphonic acids, aniline disulphonic acid, benzidine disulphonic acid, 1-4, 1-5 and 1-8 amino naphthalene sulphonic acids, and 2-amino-naphthalene 3-6 disulphonic acid, hydroxy sulphonic acids, such as phenol-2-sulphonic acid, 2-naphthol-6-sulphonic acid, and 2-naphthol-3-6-disu1- phonic acid; halogen substituted sulphonic acids '30 such as 2-5 dichlorbenzene sulphonic acid; nitrosulphonic acids, such as m-nitrobenzene suiphonic acid; nitro-amino-sulphonic acids, such as p-nitraniline-o-sulphonic acid; aminohydroxy sulphonic acids such as o-amino-phenol-psulphonic-acid and 1-amino-2-naphthol-4-sub phonic acid; ketone sulphonic acids, such as dcamphor-lO-sulphonic acid, and 'quinone sulphonic acids, such as anthraquinone 2-7 disulheat in the customary manner, e. g., in the case of a fabric, on steam heated drying cylinders or stentering machines or the like at the usual drying temperatures rangingfrom about 60 C.

upwards but not materially exceeding 100 C.

The reaction takes place wholly or partly durand the reaction allowed to proceed to completion at substantially ordinary temperature.

' The time .required to complete the reaction varies according to the compound used and also to its proportion in the impregnating liquor. In certain cases the reaction is completed immediately after full drying, while in others it may take several hours or days to reach equilibrium conditions. The temperature of drying may be selected to give the most advantageous technical result.

The possibility of carrying out the process at lowtemperature has the important advantage that the strength of the fibre is maintained and not impaired as it would be if the reaction were brought to completion by a further high temperature heat treatment such as is usual in the synthetic resin anti-crease process.

The proportion of isocyclic sulphonic acid in the impregnating liquor varies according to the particular acid used, the drying conditions, the nature of the fibre, and the effect it is desired to obtain. Amounts ranging from 0.2 to on the weight of the impregnating liquor have, however, been found the most suitable.

The invention is further illustrated by thefollowing examples.

Example 1 A fabric made of viscose staple fibre is impregnated with a solution containing 15% formaldehyde and 3.5% o-amino phenol p-sulphonic acid, dried for minutes in hot air at a temperature of 80 C., washed in a faintly alkaline solution for 10 minutes at 60 C., and finally dried. The treated fabric has become highly resistant to creasing and crumpling.

Example 2 A viscose rayon fabric is impregnated with a solution containing formaldehyde, 5% naphthionic acid, and 2.5% Lissamine Fast Yellow 2G (Col. Ind. No. 639), dried in hot air for 8 min-.

utes at 70 C. and then washed off and dried as in Example 1. The result is a yellow fabric which is fast to washing and crease resistant.

Example 3 A viscose crepe fabric is impregnated with a solution containing 15% formaldehyde and 1% benzene sulphonic acid, dried under controlled tension for 9 minutes at 60 C., washed and dried. After this treatment it has become resistant and its previous liability to shrink or to extend when wet has been very much reduced.

Example 4 A viscose staple fabric previously dyed with Paramine Fast Brown M (Col. Ind. No. 420) is impregnated with a solution containing 15% formaldehyde and 3% 2-naphthol fi-sulphonic acid,

' dried for 10 minutes at 60 C., washed and dried.

washed and dried. shrinkage of the fabric on washing is very much reduced.

Example 6 A viscose staple fabric is impregnated with a solution containing. 14% formaldehyde, 2.35% Acid Scarlet 4R (Col. Ind. No. 79), and 1.9% d-camphor io-sulphonic acid, dried in hot air for 10 minutes at 70 C., washed and dried. The

fabric has become highly, crease' resistant, and

the red colour withstands hot soaping.

- Example 7 v A viscose staple fabric is treated as in the preceding example, except that 1.4% 2-5 dichlorobenzene sulphonic acid is used instead of d-camphor 10-sulphonic acid, and drying is carried out for 7 minutes at 75 C. The results are the same as in Example 6.

Example 8 A viscose taffeta is impregnated with a solution containing 13% formaldehyde, 2.15% Acid Scar let 4R (Col. Ind. No. 79) and 1.7% sulphanilic acid, dried over steam-heated .cylinders, quickly cooled, allowed to lie at ordinary temperature for 12 days and then washed and dried. By this time the dyestufi has become fixed to the extent of withstanding'prolonged hot soaping and the crease resistance of the fabric is very much improved.

- Example 9 A viscose staple fabric is impregnated with a solution containing 14% formaldehyde and 4% 2-2' benzidine disulphonic acid, dried in hot air for 8 minutes at 75 C., rapidly cooled and allowed to lie for 2 days at ordinary temperature and then washed and dried. The fabric has become highly crease resistant.

Example 10 I A mercerised plain cotton fabric is impregnated with a solution containing 13.5% formaldehyde and 0.7% naphthalene 2-sulphonic acid, dried in hot air for 5 minutes at 60 C., washed and dried. The crease resistance ,of the fabric is much improved after the treatment.

Example 11 Loose viscose staple fibre is impregnated with a solution containing 16.5% formaldehyde, 2.75% lissamine Fast Yellow 2G (Col. Ind. No. 239), and 1.9% 2-naphthol 3-6 disulphonic acid, dried in hot air for 12 minutes at 70 C., washed and dried. The fibre may be spun and woven into a coloured fabric which is crease resistant and fast to washing.

Example 12 A viscose staple fabric is printed with a paste containing 5% zinc oxide, dried and afterwards impregnated with a solution containing 14% formaldehyde 2.35% Acid Scarlet 4R (Col. Ind. No. 79) and 1.4% phenol 2-sulphonic acid, dried in hot air for 10 minutes at 70 C.,washed and dried. The'resultant effect shows a white pattern on a red ground.

What we claim is:v

1. A process for the treatment of textile ma terials'of natural or regenerated cellulose'comprising impregnating the materials with formaldehyde in the presence. of an isocylic sulphonic acid at a pH of 0.8 to 2.0, drying at a temperature not exceeding 100 C., washing and drying.

2. The process claimed in claim 1 in which the drying is effected at atmospheric temperature.

3. The process claimed in claim 1 in which the amount of the sulphonic acid employed is 0.2 to 5.0% of the weight of the impregnating liquor.

4. The process claimed in claim 1 in which the 5 amount of formaldehyde employed is approximately 12-17% of the weight of the impregnating liquor.

5. The process claimed in claim 1 in which the textile material is impre nated with a dyestufi prior to the first drying step.

6. The process claimed in claim 1 in which the textile material is impregnated prior to the first drying step with a dyestufl which normally has a low aflinity for cellulose textile materials.

7.The process claimed in claim 1 in which a textile fabric is treated in selected areas with a dyestufl which normally has a low afllnity for the fabric prior to the first drying step.

8. The process claimed in claim 1 in which a textile fabric is impregnated with a dyestuff which normally has a low amnity for cellulose mate'- rials and in selected areas with the formaldehyde and sulphonic acid, prior to the first drying step,

the dyestuff being removed from the untreated areas by the subsequent washing step.

9. The process claimed in claim 1 in which a textile fabric is impregnated with a dyestufi' which normally has a low aftlnity for the fabric and prior to the first drying step is treated locally with a substance which neutralises the sulphonic acid, the dyestuff being removed from the treated areas by the subsequent washing step.

10. The process claimed in claim 1 in which the formaldehyde and sulphonic acid are applied in separate steps to the textile material.

11. A process for the treatment of textile materials of natural or regenerated cellulose comprising impregnating the materials with formaldehyde in the presence of a free isocyclic sulphonic acid at a pH of 0.8 to 2.0, drying said impregnated materials at a temperature not exceeding C., storing said impregnated and dried materials at normal temperatures for a period of from 12 hours to 3 days, washing and again drying.

LOUIS AMEDEE LANTZ.

WILLIAM STUART MILLER. 

